Photo: Joanne McCall
March is a month filled with events to celebrate including St. Patrick’s Day, The Spring Equinox, Purim, and Easter. But did you also know March is National Reading Month? This is in honor of Dr. Suess’s birthday, and it is a month set aside to encourage everyone of any age to read every day.
Our community here is made up of writers, authors, readers, and others within the publishing community so, of course, I am preaching to the choir here, but perhaps all of us can mention that it is National Reading Month on our social media channels at least once this month. Share about your own book, or perhaps the title of a book you are reading right now!
I’ll start. I’m currently reading Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places That Bring People Together, by Kevin Ervin Kelley. I don’t think it’s on sale yet, so full disclosure; I was sent a copy from the publisher to see about covering it.
It’s a very interesting read as it covers what some are calling the “Replacement Economy” led by the tech titans who prefer online spaces to those where we actually, physically meet, e.g., restaurants, office buildings, museums, universities, and performing arts venues. Personally, virtual has its place, but there is nothing like face-to-face engagement with others, especially with our readers. The author feels this way too.
But my question is this: What are you reading this month?
I love hearing about what you’re reading and even more so, I love to hear about what you’re writing. We’re all authors (or working on it) here, so I am endlessly curious.
I’m working on my next book which is specifically how to book the media you most want to cover you and your book. It delights me to set time aside to delve into writing about this topic.
I am also marveling at the way 2024 is shaping up. I’ve been invited to speak at some events that you might be interested in attending, including the Nonfiction Authors Association’s annual conference coming up in May. I am presenting the last segment of the conference. There is also a media training class coming up in April. And another Book Publicity Master Course will get underway in September. I know that seems like a long way off, but it will be here before we know it. I will include dates, times, and links when I have them. Next week perhaps. Time flies.
And speaking of how time flies, in the United States we went on Daylight Savings Time today. Well, most of the U.S. did. Arizona and Hawaii have the right idea and they don’t bother to switch. The Oregon Senate voted this week to ditch Daylight Savings Time and stay on Standard time, with the caveat that Washington and California have to agree to it. (Oh dear. Anytime we all need to agree, it is a challenge!) However, the three states do a lot of business with one another so this makes sense. Come on WA and CA!
Most of North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand go on Daylight Savings Time. Many of our readers are from those areas so if that includes you, I want to acknowledge that. I am also including a few tips on how to make this adjustment. Because we are readers, I have some books to suggest, including:
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker:
- Importance of Sleep: Emphasize the critical role of sleep for health, brain function, and emotional well-being. Suggest setting a regular sleep schedule to improve sleep quality and adjust to DST.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg:
- Habit Formation: Highlight the importance of creating a bedtime routine as a cue for your body to prepare for sleep, making it easier to adjust to time changes.
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod:
- Morning Routine: Advocate for establishing a morning routine that includes exposure to sunlight, exercise, and mindfulness practices to reset your internal clock and start your day positively.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport:
- Reducing Screen Time: Recommend cutting back on screen time, especially before bed, to avoid blue light exposure, which can interfere with melatonin production and disrupt sleep cycles.
Atomic Habits by James Clear:
- Small Changes: Encourage making small adjustments to your sleep schedule leading up to DST. Clear’s approach to habit change underscores the power of tiny, incremental changes for significant impacts over time.
Bottom line
Let’s celebrate March as a month brimming with opportunities for connection and growth. From St. Patrick’s Day to National Reading Month, each event invites us to engage more deeply with the world and with each other. Embracing Daylight Savings Time also reminds us of the importance of adapting our routines for well-being, as suggested by a selection of insightful books. What’s on your reading list this month? How are you embracing the season’s changes? How is your book marketing and publicity coming along? If you need someone to talk to about it, I am here.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. Would you like to go from Unknown to Unforgettable? Join me for a free webinar this Wednesday, March 13th hosted by the Nonfiction Authors Association. Here is the link. I hope to see you there!
P.P.S. Spring is just around the corner. Time for Spring Love!
#Marchcelebrations
#nationalreadingmonth
#bookmarketing
#bookpublicity
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